Air-conditioning apparatus.



`H. BENTZ.

AIR CONDITIONINQ APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 4. i914- Patented Mar. 6, 1917.'

3 SHEETS-SHEET I @I w I? NQf j S Ik WITNESSES HJBENIZl AIR CONDITIONING 'PIAIIATU-S.- APPLICATION FILEI) SEPI-.IM |914. I V l PatentedMa. 6, 1917.

I. l/ Y @WMM W/TNESSES A H. BENTZ. y AIR CONDITIONING APPRATUS.

APPucATloN 'FILED SEPT. 4, '1914l Patented Mar. 6,1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

HARRY BENTZ, or',ivro'NTeLAIR,v NEW JERSEY.

AIE-CONDITIONING APPARATUS'.

Specification of Letters Patent.

. PatentedlMar. 6, 1917,

vApplication filed September 4,- 1914. Serial No. 860,166.

To all 'whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY BENTZ, a citizen of the United States, residing in Montclair, Essex county, New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in `Air-Conditioning Apparatus, ofl

which the following'is 'a specification.

In apparatus for washing air and gases or for humidifying or conditioning7 the air, as it is commonly called, the air is passed through or over water, cooled or warmed or at ordinarytemperatures according -to the desired results.

My present invention provides certain improvements in this'class of apparatus, and

especially in air'cooling apparatus whereby .a considerable economy is effected and the apparatus is brought to a very high state of efliciency.

The accompanying drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention.

Figures 1 and 2 are respectively a-longitudinal section and a plan of an air cooling or humidifying apparatus;

Fig. 3 is a 'plan 'of asimilar apparatus designed chiefly for cooling the air.

Referring to the embodiments of the invention illustrated a closed casing A of sheet metal, connected atV one end to the air supply and at the other end to a fan ory other means for drawing the air through, is

mounted on a concrete base B; and is provided with successive groups of sheds C, C, rCg, each shed comprising a vertical column of\plates,.approximately L-shaped in cross section, obliquely arranged and extending transversely across the chamber with narrow vhorizontal spaces between them, and tanks D, D', D2 overhead are provided with perforated bottoms through which a. considerable volume of water flows so as to provide a continuous lm of water flowing down the forward faces of the several sheds. This type of apparatus is described and illustrated more fully in my application No. 843,185, filed June '5, 1914. Each group of sheds is supported on cross beams E which in turn are supported on longitudinal beams F, the lower ends of the several sheds being immersed in water accumulated in the separate sumps G, Gr, Gr2 so that the air Vcannot pass below the sheds, but must pass through them and over their wetvfaces.'

The supply pipe H for the water may be connected.. with an artesian well or with other lsource of naturally' or artificiallyl cooled water which passes therefrom by way of a branch J into 'the upper tank D at a ratev regulated by a -valve K. From this tank the water runs down overthe first group of sheds C and into'the sump Gr.

Connected to this sump is the 'inlet pipe L of a pump M which lifts the water through a vertical pipe II into an. extension O of the supply pipe'which is cut off from the branch J by an intermediate valve P normally closed.l From the pipe O .a branch Q, -discharges the water into the second overhead tank D whence itruns down overtlie group of sheds C"into the second sump G. This sump is'connected with the .inlet pipe R of a .pump S which lifts the Water through a vertical pipe T into an extension U of the supply pipes H and O, which is cut off by a valve Yfrom the branch Q and which has a branch IV discharging into the third overhead tank DZ. Thence the water owsover the third group of sheds C2 intothe sump G2 and away to the waste.` The inlet pipes -L and R of the pumps communicate with the sumps G and G at points above the as to insure that the water shall always stand above the bottoms of such plates.

The air entering through the admission end X of theoasing and escapingfthrough the discharge end 'Y is first brought into contact with the sheds C2 then with the sheds C. and finally with the sheds C. Thel warmest air is brought into contact `with the water which has been previously used in the two sheds C .and C and which has consequently been considerably warmed by contact with the air. The air striking-the sheds C has been somewhateooled by passage through the sheds C2 and comes into contact with water which has been only slightly warmed by its previous passage over the first set of sheds C. Finally the air striking the sheds C has ibeen' successively cooled by the passage through the sheds C2 and C and comes into Contact with the water in its'coldest condition. Thus'by the counter-current arrangement of the air and water through `the apparatus the warmest -water is used for the reduction of the temperature of the air in its warmest condition and as the air becomes v cooler the water with which it comes into contact also is cooler and the apparatus works with the higl'iest efficiency. `For example, if the water supplyin the first tank is at 52. Fahrenheit that in the second tank Agroup of sheds C, though the quantity actually in use is a multiple thereof (t'wo or three or more times the volume drawn through the supply pipe, according to the design of the apparatus). The only extra expense involved in this economy of Water is that required in the operation of the pumps M and S. But as these have to lift the water only from the bottom to the top of the apparatus the operation isl more' economical than if the extra volume in use had to be lifted from a substantial depth in an artesian or other well.

The casing A incloses a single air-chamber which is of uniform cross-section throughout "mainpipe -I-I may into all the tanks D, D, D2.l Or by closing,

substantiallyits entire length. The transversecontact plates in each stage form restricted passages for the air: The successive stages C, C and()2 are separated from one another by comparatively wide spaces.

These spaces, being of the full cross-section4 of the chamber, cause a reduction in the velocity of the air. Thus the velocity of the air, is alternately increased in passing `through a stage of plates and checked in passing from one stage to the next, and this -checking of its velo-city causes a precipitation of the moisture which was carried along merely by the velocity of the current, and the air is thus rendered more susceptible to the cooling eiiect of the. cooler water on the't next stage of plates. The use of a plurality of columns or sheds in each stage makes it possible to get from the water in each stage the maximum cooling effect which can be elicientlygotten. Where the difference in temperature 'between the air and the water is 30, for example,'at the entrance to a stage the successive cooling operations as it passes from one 'shed to the next will reduce the temperature of the air half this amount, or 15. At this reduced temperature the Volume of water which can be carried by the air is reduced and the reduction in velocity takes place which permits a substantial precipitation between the successive stages of plates; thus again rendering the air current more susceptible to the cooling action ofthe water in the next stage. f

In theyertical pipes N and T extending upward from the pumps there are provided valves Z and a. By shutting off these valves and opening thevalves K, P and V in the upper line of piping the supply from the be directed immediately the valvesV and Z, leaving the first pump M idle, the water may be directed from the main H into the two tanks. D and D and reused'only in the tank D2. Or by closing only the valvesfP and a (stopping the pump S) lthe water maybe used in the iirst stage only in the irst tank D and lifted by the pump N for a second use simultaneously in the two tanks D and D2. The pipes and valves, therefore, admit of a use of the apparatus in various ways.

Where tis desired to impart moisture to the air the water may be heated for'greater eiiiciency in this respect as by means of a heater b (Fig. 2). In this case the water coming in through the 'pipe H may' be heated to a high temperature. Its temperature is somewhat reduced inthe sheds C. The pump M is operated to lift it out of the sump G as'be'fore; but, the valve Z being closed and the valve c leading to the heater being open the water will pass through the pipe d into the vheater b and up. through the heater which will restore theheat extracted in the sheds C. The water thence passes by a pipe e outl of the upper end of the heater into the overhead pipe O and thence into the overhead tank D; or, the valve V being open and thev valve a closed, into both tanks D and D2 simultaneously. Or the water from only the second sump G may be re- 'heated In this operation the valve a in the pipe leading upward from the pump S will be closed, the valve f open and the Valve c closed. Or the water from both sumps G and G may be simultaneously reheated by opening both the valves c and f and closing the valves Z and a.' -The system of piping illustrated, therefore, with its valves permits of using the lapparatus in a great variety of ways according to circumstances and the desired ends.`

In the arrangement "shownin Fig. 3 the overhead tanks are increased in number, only four being shown within the limits of lthe drawing. This figure shows also an alternative arrangement of the piping. The main pipe H leads directly to thesecond tank D. The water from this tank after passing over the sheds and into the sumpis raised by means of a pump M having aninlet pipe L and an upwardly extending pipe N which communicates with an overhead. pipe O constituting an extension of the main supply-pipe; which in turn has a branch Q, discharging into the next overhead tank D2 whence the Water' is. run over the lsheds and into the sump and raised through the pipe R, pump S and pipe T into an overhead pipe. U discharging through the branch W -into 4the next overhead tank. The first'tank D, however, is supplied with especially' cold water for'l effecting the final cooling operation and for this purpose a lcooler g in which the vwater may be brought to approximately freezing temperature has/ a lateral. extension discharging into; the

first overhead tank D. vThe Water then passes down over the.4 corresponding sheds 4and into the sump whence itis' drawn-bythe inlet 'Ic of a pump [which forces it through a pipem into the upper endf ofthe cooler.

Itis thus circulated continuouslyin a short circuitarranged expesslyforjthejseries of sheds which produces the final cooling eifect.-

The cooler g as Well as'the heaterfb may be of any usual or suitable types. Forexample, the 'yva'ter in thecooler g may be cooled by means of ice or coldbrinepassingthrough internal-coils; and thefwater *inthelv heater b maybe 'heated by a steam coil.

Though I have described' with greatparticularity of detail ertain embodiments of. my invention; yet it is not to be understood therefromthat the invention is restrictedl to the particular'embodimentsd-isclosed. 'Vari ous modifications thereof.. in detail and in j-v the arrangement -and combinationbf, the

partsmay be made by'thos'e skilled'. in the' art without departure from the invention] Av \hat I claim is-. l. An air-conditioning apparatus includingfin combination afcasing inclo'sing a sini` gle air chamber' of' vuniform crosssection o.. tally therethrough, transversecontact platesarranged in' a plurality of suceessive stages' throughout, substantiallyfitsentire length,

means for passingfa 'current of air. hdrizonin sadsingle chamber in the path of. the

air andmeans for'lowing a bodyof watep over -said stagesof plates infsuccessionand in'the reverse order .oiA that in which' they are" engaged by the air current.

2. An air-conditionlng apparatus vin clud.- ing 1n combination a casing lncloslng `a sin- -40 gle air chamber. of uniform cros'sfsection throughoutsubstantially its entire length',

means for passing a current of air boli- -.zo1 itally therethrough, transversegcontact plates arranged vin a plurality of suecessive'- stagesin said single chamber 'inthepath of the' air v'a 1 1cl ;means or'flowing Aa body of; .Y Wateroversaid stages of plates in succession vand 'in thereverse order of that in' which they are engaged by the" air current, the` plates in each ystage forming restricted pas- 50 ysages for the ain andthe successivestages lbein-gseparatedfrom` each othergby acom- .-paratively-Wide.space, 'so that the velocity ofthe airis alternately'inereased in passing passing'rom 'one-'stage vto the next'to precipitate free '.moisturetherefrom.

3. Anlair-conditiomng apparatus includ'- fing in vcombination a casinginclos-ing .a sin? .arranged in 'apluralityof successive stages and means for floivinga-bodyfofwaterover' -said stages .of plates lin succession and'in the reverse order of-that 1n Which'tjhey are engaged by the aircurrent, each, stage. of plates consisting of a group of shedsclose together r70 .and each shed Vc omprisinga vertical. column' j andcheckedin .passing froml one stage to the f' i next to precipitate' free-moisture therei'ro 'm. In Witnesswhereof, I havehereunto signed my n'amein the presence, 'of two subscrib- 1 'HARRY BENTZ. '.iWtnQSSes: 5' .Y D.ANTH0N'Y UsINA, .f l

'^ LULU STUBiiNvoLL- through fa stage 'of' plates "and checked in 55 gle airchamb'er ofunifo'rm' 'cross-section 60'v v 'throughout 'substantially its entire length,yfv imeansi'orpassling a current of air horizons'. .tallytherethrough;'transverse contact plates 1 insaid single chamber inthe path of the ai'r' 6 5 creased' inpassing through a stage of plates' :80h 

